By Moneycontrol Features | June 6, 2024
Zoya Akhtar made her directorial debut 15 years ago, with Luck By Chance (2009). She has since helmed Bollywood hits like ‘Gully Boy,’ and ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.’ PVR Inox is now organizing a retrospective of her films for a week starting June 7.
Starting June 7, select PVR Inox cinemas will show Zoya Akhtar's ‘Luck By Chance,’ ‘Dil Dhadakne Do,’ ‘Talaash: The Answer Lies Within,’ ‘Gully Boy,’ and ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.’
Luck By Chance (2009) is the story of two aspiring actors in tinsel town: Sona Mishra (Konkona Sen Sharma), a hard-working actress who takes up small roles and B movies in the hopes of one day making her Hindi film debut, and Vikram Jaisingh (Farhan Akhtar) who rises to fame mainly by chance, and also because he backs himself constantly.
Three friends go on a trip across Europe in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), the film that introduced India to the Tomatina festival of Spain. The film stars Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar, Hrithik Roshan, Kalki Koechlin and Katrina Kaif, among others.
Directed by Reema Kagti and co-written by Zoya Akhtar, Talaash: The Answer Lies Within (2012) is a crime thriller with a supernatural twist. The film stars Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Rani Mukerji, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rajkummar Rao, Shernaz Patel and Sheeba Chaddha.
The story of a business family throwing a massive party on the brink of financial ruin, 'Dil Dhadakne Do' (2015) had a stellar ensemble cast with Anil Kapoor and Shefali Shah, Priyanka Chopra and Farhan Akhtar, Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma, among other, headlining different plotlines that are all part of the whole.
Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt star in this film set in the lanes of Dharavi in Mumbai. The film was inspired by the real lives of Indian street rappers, with songs like Apna Time Aayega by rapper Divine with Javed Akhtar turning into cultural anthems. The film made Rs 238 crore at the global box office.
The Zoya Akhtar retrospective is hardly the first time PVR Inox is screening older Bollywood hits again. Apart from retrospectives, the cinema chain has also been replaying films like Imtiaz Ali's Jab We Met to tempt viewers back into theatres.
Apart from Luck By Chance, Gully Boy, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Dil Dhadakne Do, Zoya Akhtar has also created series and films for OTT. She wrote Kho Gaye Hum Kahaan, which is now on Netflix. And directed Made in Heaven which is on Prime Video India.